From Nick Laurila, UAH Directory of Hockey Operations:
UAH Hockey would like to invite you to our year end banquet celebrating our first year in the WCHA! We will have the banquet on April 3rd at Spragins Hall at 7pm. Cost is $25 per person and you will have the opportunity to host a player at the banquet for $25. There will be several silent auction items at the event. We would ask that you RSVP by clicking here or if you have any other questions you can email Nick Laurila at nick.laurila@uah.edu.
We look forward to seeing you!
The event is a lot of fun and a great way to end the season and send off our seniors. It’s your chance to meet players, coaches, and staff, or support the program by bidding on great items. We hope you’ll attend!
Last week, we updated you on how some former Chargers are doing in the pros. This week, we’re have some updates on who will be donning the blue and white in the near future.
Max McHugh signs his national letter of intent to play for UAH in 2014-15 (photo via Twitter).
The early signing period for 2014-15 concluded on November 20. We currently know of one signing.
Max McHugh is a forward for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League. The Edgewood, Wash. native scored 41 goals and 105 points over the last three seasons for the Wenatchee Wild of the North American Hockey League. This season he has five points in 17 games for the Fighting Saints, and helped Dubuque win the bronze medal at the Junior Club World Cup last summer.
UAH has picked up three more verbal commitments:
Josh Kestner, a Huntsville native, is coming to UAH next season. The Huntsville High grad is in his second season with the Sarnia Legionnaires of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. He is currently seventh in the GOJHL with 39 points in 25 games.
Joey Marooney, Cody‘s brother, announced he will join the Chargers in 2015. The Eden Prairie, Minn. native is a forward for Holy Family Catholic High School.
Ivan Bondarenko committed to UAH earlier this month, and is slated to become the Chargers’ first-ever Russian player in 2015. Bondarenko is tearing up the NPHL with the West Sound Warriors, with 15 goals and 17 assists in just 14 games this season.
For more information on UAH’s recruiting, visit the Commitments page. A reminder: The university and the coaching staff cannot officially comment on any player until he has signed an National Letter of Intent, and UAHHockey.com is not affiliated with the university or the coaching staff.
Happy Thanksgiving: In this week’s episode of Tradition Continues, the team would like to pass on their holiday wishes:
Up next: The Chargers make their first of two trips to South Bend, Indiana, this weekend. UAH plays host Notre Dame in the Shillelagh Tournament on Friday at 6:35 p.m. The Chargers play either Northeastern or Western Michigan on Saturday.
A shillelagh is a wooden club or cudgel associated with the Irish. Is that what Notre Dame calls their hockey sticks?
Another shutout for Talbot: Cam Talbot was back in the South on Saturday night, and he earned his second shutout in as many starts. The former Charger and current New York Ranger made 17 stops in a 2-0 victory over the Predators at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The Rangers have won in Talbot’s last five starts.
Around the WCHA: Ferris State remained undefeated in league play after a sweep of Alaska in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs are 7-0-1 in the WCHA, leading Bemidji State (which split at home with Lake Superior) by four points despite playing two fewer conference games. Bowling Green split with Minnesota State in Mankato to stay in third place with nine points.
Ferris State moved up four spots in this week’s USCHO.com poll to No. 6, and earned a first-place vote. Lake Superior State is the WCHA’s other ranked team, staying at No. 16. In the USA Today/USA Hockey poll, Ferris is ranked seventh.
WCHA Standings
Conference
Overall
GP
W
L
T
Pts
W
L
T
Ferris State
8
7
0
1
15
10
2
1
Bemidji State
10
5
4
1
11
5
7
2
Bowling Green
8
4
3
1
9
6
5
3
Northern Michigan
6
4
2
0
8
6
5
1
Alaska-Anchorage
8
3
3
2
7
6
4
2
Lake Superior State
6
3
3
0
6
7
4
1
Minnesota State
6
3
3
0
6
5
7
0
Michigan Tech
6
2
3
1
5
4
8
2
Alaska
6
2
4
0
4
5
5
2
Alabama-Huntsville
8
0
8
0
0
0
12
0
THIS WEEK IN THE WCHA All times Central.
* WCHA game.
Friday, November 29 UAH at Notre Dame (Shillelagh Tournament), 6:35 p.m.
* Ferris State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Lake Superior State, 6:37 p.m.
* Alaska-Anchorage at Minnesota State, 7:37 p.m.
* Michigan Tech at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.
Miami at Bemidji State, 7:37 p.m.
Saturday, November 30 UAH vs. Northeastern or Western Michigan, 3:05 or 6:35 p.m.
* Ferris State at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
* Bowling Green at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
* Alaska-Anchorage at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
* Michigan Tech at Alaska, 10:07 p.m.
Miami at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
This royal blue long sleeve training top comes with a UAH Hockey logo. Also comes in black.
Now you can get the Nike UAH Hockey gear the Chargers wear around campus and support the program!
From now until November 30, you can purchase Nike UAH Hockey training tops and polos. A portion of the sales will go to straight the UAH Hockey program. The items on the site will include a UAH Hockey logo, and can be purchased in black or royal blue.
From UAH Director of Hockey Operations Nick Laurila:
As we all know, this is an exciting time for UAH Hockey! The university administration and the coaching staff know how important you are to this program. Therefore, one of my roles at the university, is to actively involve the hockey community and the UAH supporters in activities and benefits surrounding the team.
You may have seen the players around campus, sporting their new NIKE UAH gear, and we would like to open up the sales of these items to YOU as well!
Simply go to: http://nsgteamsports.com/fan-stores/university-of-alabama-huntsville/hockey
to see what is available in UAH Hockey NIKE attire. The items on the site will include a UAH hockey logo. Please place all orders by 11/30/2013. The UAH hockey team will receive a portion of the sales ordered through this link. You will be supporting us monetarily through your order, and in brand awareness every time you wear your UAH Hockey attire and showcase that you are a UAH HOCKEY Fan!
Thank you for your continued support, and do not hesitate to contact me as I continue to find ways to grow the UAH hockey community. Go Chargers!
Four months to go. Here’s some news and notes as we head into the long, Southern summer.
Frenchy Open: Thank you to all who participated and donated to the 2013 UAH Hockey Golf Tournament, also known as the Frenchy Open. The annual summer fundraising event, held at the Hampton Cove Highlands Golf Course on June 8, was a huge success.
Participants and volunteers for the 2013 Frenchy Open.
Eighteen teams participated in this year’s tournament, won by the team from SportsMed. Second place was a team familiar to most Charger hockey fans, as Jared Ross, Keith Rowe, Craig Bushey and Todd Bentley finished one stroke behind the winners. Assistant Coach Bruce Garber celebrated his first year in Huntsville by taking home third place along with UAH professor Les Brol.
WCHA officials meet in Bemidji: With three months left until the first puck drop, presidents, athletic directors, and officials from the 10 WCHA programs met in Bemidji, Minn., on June 17 to discuss many of the outstanding issues facing the revamped league.
One of the main topics was a league-wide media deal. The WCHA will be working with Fox Sports Go, Fox Sports’ Internet streaming answer to ESPN3. Each school would still have its own productions, but they would all be available on one source. In recent years, UAH has had internet streaming deals with America One.
Officiating and budgets were also discussed. Jack Hittinger of The Bemidji Pioneer has more details from the WCHA meetings.
Harris a Hall of Famer: Jim Harris, UAH’s athletic director from 1995 until his death in 2010, was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame on June 14. As A.D., the Charger hockey program won two Division II national championships, two College Hockey America regular-season championships, and two CHA Tournament titles. More information from UAHChargers.com.
Get ready for the summer’s fundraising tradition. The 2013 UAH Hockey Golf Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, June 8 at the RTJ Hampton Cove-Highlands Golf Course.
Jean-Marc Plante (#17 on the right) with Stu Vitue.
The tournament is also known as “The Frenchy Open,” named after Charger left wing Jean-Marc Plante, who died in 2001. Also known as “Frenchy,” the Laval, Quebec, native played for UAH from 1988-92, scoring 15 goals and 26 assists in 92 games. Plante worked at the front office of the Florida Panthers and became the athletic marketing director at UAH. A memorial scholarship is awarded in his honor to the Charger hockey player who demonstrates leadership, sportsmanship, and team spirit, and who participates in community and university volunteer service.
Registration for the tournament starts at 7 a.m., shotgun start at 8 a.m., and meal and awards to follow. You can register a player or a team, or have your company sponsor a hole.
To register, return this form with your payment to 205 Spragins Hall, Huntsville, AL 35899.
For more information, contact Tim Flynn, UAH Director of Hockey Operations, at 256-824-2485 or tim.flynn@uah.edu.
